BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. — Four weeks into the school year, school districts are still looking to fill support staff positions.

In Buncombe County, 16 transportation positions remain open. 

Director of Transportation for the school system, Jeremy Stowe, says in the meantime teachers, principals and other staff members willing to help have been filling the gap.

“We’re putting everybody in place that we can to get the kids home in a safe and reliable fashion each and every day,” Stowe said. “We’re like everybody, we can’t have enough people come and get the bus driver certification fast enough, we can’t get them fast enough.”

Rachel Flynn is one person who is getting her bus driver certification. Flynn says she was a certified nursing assistant, but changed careers after a back injury.

“They said they needed bus drivers and children have to go home, so might as well help out where you can,” Flynn said.

Flynn started working in the cafeteria in her kids’ school in August. Now, she is getting behind the wheel as a bus driver as well. 

She said she has seen the impact of not having enough drivers.

“The school that I work for had to set up two car rider lines to get them in a little bit quicker, so they’re not out in the middle of the road,” Flynn said. “They’ve had to drop kids off in an area where they’re parents had to come pick them up.”

Although, it has been difficult to hire in the position, Stowe said he is cautiously optimistic after a decent start to the school year.